Out on Australian highway!
Australia has for many years been one of the more popular destinations for expats around the world and if anything the attraction to this particular area of the world appears to be growing on a year by year basis. So what does Australia have to offer someone looking for a new life? Why would you move to Australia?
The weather
One of the main attractions of Australia for many people appears to be the weather although it has to be said that not all areas of Australia are baked in sunshine all year round!
Many people will be surprised to learn that Australia has one of the more diverse climates in the world from the semi arid deserts to the alpine heaths and the tropical rainforest. However, it is this mix of climate and weather which makes Australia special in the eyes of many people because quite literally whatever climate you are comfortable in you are more than likely to find an area of Australia to suit your needs.
The truth is that many people move to Australia for the sun, sea and the beaches but find that the country has so much more to offer once they are there. As with any country you need to do your homework to find out the areas of Australia which would best for your needs and your requirements and then see what the local economy and local community can offer.
Politically correct – not Australia!
We now live in an age where political correctness in some countries around the world has gone beyond what many people believe to be reasonable. While there is obviously a place for political correctness and appreciating cultures and people in different areas of the world’s there is also a need, in the eyes of many people, to retain some of their own beliefs in tandem with other cultures.
Unfortunately, a number of people have taken the decision to move to pastures new simply because of political correctness, with the UK cited by many people as one of those countries where it has moved to an unacceptable level. However, Australia is perhaps one of the least politically correct countries in the world although this is not a criticism in any way.
Freedom of speech in Australia has never been stronger and in many ways the Australian culture promotes this particular aspect of Australian life. A move to Australia could quite literally for many people be a move to a totally different world and culture where everybody is respected and nobody is expected to “dumb down”. Some people may feel comfortable in this environment although others may feel it is not for them.
The Australian economy
As soon as you move to Australia you realise that this is an area of the world which is growing in popularity and has seen a significant increase in trade with worldwide partners. For many years Australia was isolated from the worldwide marketplace although recently there has been a major change in the make-up of the economy and Australia is now very much on the up with commodity exports playing a major part in the Australian economy.
However, it is also interesting to see that the services sector now accounts for 69% of GDP in Australia with particular emphasis on the tourism, education and financial services. This has added yet another arrow to the Australian bow and opened up new and exciting opportunities for Australian businesses and the Australian economy as a whole. It was interesting to see that during the recent credit crunch and worldwide economic downturn the Australian market performed better than most and indeed has pulled out of recession far quicker than many other developed countries around the world. Whether this is because the economy is still fairly immature and robust at the same time, or the fact Australia is still a major player in the commodities market is open to debate.
The Australian multicultural society
Despite the fact that we cited Australia’s resistance to follow the politically correct path which many governments around the world have taken, there is no doubt that Australia is one of the most multicultural societies in the world and there is little friction between the different cultures and different ethnic groups. Surprisingly, the vast majority of the 22 million people who live in Australia are descended from Europe from the time of colonial settlers.
The 2006 Australian census confirmed that the breakdown of the population was as follows, Australian 37.13%, English 31.65%, Irish 9.08%, Scottish 7.56%, Italian 4.29%, German 4.09%, Chinese 3.37% and Greek 1.84%. This perfectly reflects the strong connection which the Australian population has with Europe and the settlers of years gone by. However, many people will be unaware that since World War I the population of Australia has quadrupled due to a massive immigration program which has on the whole been successful, even though the government of today has tightened the requirements and regulations for expats moving to Australia.
The Australian landscape
If you move to Australia you will soon find a massive array of different landscapes and different climates available across the length and breadth of the country. As we mentioned in one of the paragraphs above, the country has everything from deserts to tropical rainforests and everything else in between. We have Ayres Rock, the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney Opera House and many other standout landscapes and buildings across Australia.
It is amazing to think that Australia has a land mass in excess of 7,600,000 km² although as we are all aware the vast majority of the land is left desolate with large pockets of heavily populated regions dotted up and down the country. Australia itself is the world’s smallest continent, and the sixth largest country by total land area, it also has an amazing 34,000 km of coast and an exclusive economic zone of 8,100,000 km². Australia is in simple terms enormous!
Living and working in Australia
While the cost of living in Australia has increased as the economy continues to expand, in comparison to the likes of the UK and other popular expat areas of the world it still compares very favourably. However, it has to be said that Australia is very dependent upon the exchange rate because a great number of products need to be imported from around the world which can lead to price swings from time to time.
Interestingly, when you consider that the Australian economy has on average grown by around 3.6% a year for the last 15 years, against the worldwide average of around 2.5% for developed economies, it is easy to see why the country has attracted so much attention from overseas visitors. Prior to the ongoing worldwide recession the gross domestic product of Australia was in fact higher than that of the United States, UK, Germany and France.
Australia has a very buoyant employment market with a low level of unemployment (around 4.6%) and with inflation very much under control at between 2% to 3% the economy, under the firm stewardship of the Australian government, would appear to be in safe hands. On the whole, employment prospects in Australia have never been better.
Sport in Australia
If there is one country in the world which has a massive passion for sport it has to be Australia with soccer, Australian rules football, cricket, Formula One and tennis to name but a small number which are all very popular in the country. The very fact that Australia has a very large and growing leisure and tourist industry has necessitated a need to embrace a variety of sporting activities and sporting events which are attracting more and more people to the country.
If there is one event on the sporting calendar which perfectly epitomises the Australian passion for sport it has to be the cricket Ashes series which sees the best Australian cricketers pitted against the best English cricketers with the winner taking the famous Ashes trophy. There have been many battles over the years and there will be many battles into the future between these two closely linked yet ultracompetitive countries.
A laid-back lifestyle
Whether or not the myth of the stereotypical Australian is correct, with a laid-back lifestyle and regular visits to the local “watering hole”, is debatable but the fact is that life in Australia compared to many other countries around the world is much more laid back and enjoyable. That is not to say that Australian people do not work hard but the truth is many of them tend to play hard which is something people around the world have forgotten how to do.
Even if the stereotypical Australian has long bitten the dust it is still an image which works very well for the country and which has attracted massive numbers of holidaymakers and expats looking to start a new life. The impression that the Australian people “do not take themselves too serious” is one which seems to attract more and more attention as expats strive for something different and a more enjoyable lifestyle. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen but the myth certainly carries on to this very day!
Political stability in Australia
If you are considering a move to Australia, or any other country around the world, you will probably need to do your homework on the political scene and the overall political stability of the country. As we mentioned above, the Australian economy has on the whole grown over the last 15 years although there were a couple of difficult years in between when the economy was under pressure. However, in general there is no doubt that the political scene in Australia is far more stable than it has been for some time and ultimately offers a favourable political background for those looking to move and start a new life.
There will be new challenges and important decisions to be made as the Australian economy continues to grow but at this moment in time harmony has broken out on the political scene and the future of Australia would seem to be in very good hands.
The history of Australia
As we mentioned above, Australia is one of the most multicultural societies in the world and offers a history which goes back many years and has included many different countries from around the world. There is an obvious connection with the United Kingdom, with the Queen still the official head of Australia, and while there often appears to be friction between the Brits and Australians, they have a history which goes back centuries and a link which many believe will never be broken.
However, the aborigines of Australia also play a major part in the history of the country and until very recently were seen by many as the poor relation compared to the non-aboriginal Australian population. Thankfully times have changed and the integration of the aborigines of Australia into the wider Australian population is complete – it is encouraging to see different cultures living side-by-side with very few problems.
Conclusion
Australia is a country which offers so many different landscapes, different climates, different living standards and ultimately some very different experiences. There is obviously a very close connection between the British and the Australian population which has seen more and more expats arriving from the UK on a regular basis. While it would be wrong to say that Australia is home from home for those from the UK it is safe to say there are some similarities in the lifestyle and outlook on life itself.
Still seen by many people as a developing nation, there is no doubt that the Australian economy has performed far better than the vast majority of economies around the world over the last few years. Indeed, recent figures suggest that the Australian economy is pulling away from recession faster than the majority of developed economies around the world, something which is benefiting the local workforce.
The stereotypical view of Australia is the sun, sea and sand scenario as well as the laid-back stereotypical Australian man at his local “watering hole”. While this image has helped to attract more people to Australia than ever before there is no doubt that Australia has changed both in the make-up of the economy, the make-up of the population and the variation of lifestyles available.
However, to many people Australia is in some ways a step back in time to an era when political correctness was sensible and immigration and the abuse of the benefits system was well under control.
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